Blog

SLC Think Tank Defends UT Adoption Statutes

by Norris Law Group on March 7, 2014

The Salt Lake City Tribune reports that a local think tank known for taking on politically conservative causes is defending Utah’s adoption law along with the restrictions that it puts on unwed fathers. In an amicus brief, the Sutherland Institute argues that a “natural family” that consists of a married man and woman is the most ideal environment in which to raise children.

This marks the first time the Sutherland Institute has commented on an adoption case with its claim that such families are the “fundamental unit of society,” which the group says the state’s adoption statutes also uphold.

The institute filed the brief in opposition to an appeal filed by Bobby L. Nevares, of Colorado, saying that Nevares is making a “novel claim” intended to subvert Utah’s adoption laws by asking the court to create “a new, nebulous requirement” that would allow “late contests” from out-of-state fathers who fail to preserve their paternity rights before a birth mother put a child up for adoption in Utah. Nevares is contesting a Utah judge’s decision to deny his paternity petition and block his attempt to get custody of his son, who was born and placed for adoption in Utah nearly four years ago.

William C. Duncan, an attorney for the not-for-profit Sutherland Institute, said the group filed the brief after noting a movement in recent years to provide more rights for unwed fathers in Utah adoptions. Utah’s adoption laws are generally seen to be among the most restrictive in the country regarding the rights of unmarried fathers.

Attorney Graham Norris and his associates at the Norris Law Group serve the residents of Utah County and throughout Utah in the area of family law. Contact them today at 801-932-1238 or online for a free consultation.

Utah Location

Wyoming Location

From The Blog

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka “ObamaCare”) enters its second year in 2015, and brings with it a host of new provisions. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) outlines some of these provisions for large and small business owners: In 2015, the PPACA mandates that businesses with 100 or more full-time or […]

The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) recently published a list of new laws that will affect businesses in California or entities that do business in California in 2015. These laws include (but are not limited to): Leaves of Absence Mandatory Sick Leave: The Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (AB 1522) “requires employers to […]